admin‘UN general assembly a disappointment’
Caesar Zvayi recently at the UNITED NATIONS, New York
PRESIDENT Mugabe has expressed disappointment with the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly, describing it as one of the same ordinary repetitive sessions world leaders have held in the past.
Speaking to journalists on arrival at the Harare International Airport from the UN headquarters yesterday morning, the President said the state of the UN bids the developing world to move seriously on reforms.
‘‘It wasn’t a good meeting in the sense that the issues that should have been prominent, issues to deal with unilateralism and multi-lateralism, were sidelined.
‘‘In the General Assembly, the people were just making statements, for instance US president Barack Obama. He just talked about Stevens (the US ambassador who was killed in Libya), nothing that was global, in terms of how the world should move in reforming the UN.
‘‘Yes, we had statements that were made on reforming the UN, but they were just statements. There is need for real movement by the developing world.
“It’s as if we are the minority yet those who have the veto are in fact the minority.’’
The build-up to the 67th Session of the UNGA that officially opened on Tuesday under the theme “Bringing About Adjustment or Settlement of International Disputes or Situations by Peaceful Means”, was characterised by debate on the relevance of the UN to the prevailing geo-political challenges confronting the world.
A high level meeting on the Rule of Law at the International and National Level that convened on Monday was naturally dominated by debate on the need to reform the UN system to make it democratic and effective.
The document released at the end of the meeting implored member states to be bound by the founding principles of the UN, among them the sovereign equality of member states.
Grain import scheme for deficit areas
Agriculture Reporters
ZIMBABWE is in a serious food deficit with 215 000 tonnes of maize in stock against a national requirement of 1,2 million tonnes annually.
There are only 38 000 tonnes of wheat in the reserves and the Government would have to import both maize and wheat to cover the deficit.
Acting Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Ignatius Chombo yesterday said merchants would be allowed to import maize, maize-meal and flour to feed the nation.
Those without capacity to feed themselves would be covered by the grain loan scheme, the minister said.
Under the scheme, the vulnerable would get a 50kg bag of maize monthly until the next harvest.
“There is no vetting and what is required is just for the beneficiary to approach the Grain Marketing Board,” he said.
“Those who are able-bodied and do not want to join the grain loan scheme can join the food-for-work programme where one works for 15 days a month and receives some grain.”
Minister Chombo said projects for the food-for-work programme had been identified and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development was waiting for Finance Minister Tendai Biti to release funds.
He said the grain loan scheme was being hampered by the shortage of transport and funds to pay transporters ferrying grain from areas of supply to areas of deficit.
GMB owes transporters US$4,4 million for grain that was delivered to areas with a deficit during the past three months. Minister Chombo said shortages of grain bags had affected the movement of grain under the scheme.
“Minister Joseph Made and GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha have been pestering Finance Minister Biti over the need to capacitate GMB to
ZOC host ASMC graduation
Sports ReporterTHE Zimbabwe Olympic Committee will host a graduation ceremony of the Advanced Sport Management Course today at Prince Edward School.
This will be the fourth edition to be held by ZOC after successfully running the ASMC since 2008. The ASMC is a postgraduate diploma which seeks to
US: Bitten by own Pet
The September 15th to 21st issue of the Economist has a huge leader splash titled “Murder in Libya”. The gist of the leader piece is to urge “the world’s policeman not (to) retreat from the world’s most dangerous region.”
The world’s policeman is the United States and the most dangerous region is North Africa and the whole of the Middle East. America, exhorts the piece, “indeed should do more.” Do more what? More killing, more dying?
Kevin Kaindu deserves the Coach of the Year award, even in the highly unlikely event that his team collapses, because what he has done at Bosso is very, very special
Ithimu yezwe lonke, the nation’s team, they used to sing at Barbourfields during the good days of Zenzo Moyo and Thabani Masawi at the turn of the millennium, and in the year that Tuku celebrated his 60th birthday, with a big birthday bash, you can hear them singing once again in the City of Kings.Ihave always considered myself a child of music and, having been born just six months after the historic Woodstock Festival of ’69 in New York, maybe there is considerable justification for that.
Woodstock was a defining moment in the history of music, a four-day mass concert organised by four young men that attracted an estimated 500
Two Redliff men jailed for murder
Midlands Bureau Chief
TWO men from Redcliff who in 2010 murdered their friend following a misunderstanding during a beer drink have each been sentenced to 19 years in prison by senior Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nicholas Ndou.
Nust demands full fees before admission
Chronicle Reporter
THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has demanded that students should pay full fees upon registration, a move that will see thousands of students failing to register before the deadline today.
Workers, creditors own 31pc of BNC
Business Reporter
Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC) workers and creditors now own 31,74 percent of the company after a private placement to settle part of a $21 million debt choking the company.
More woes for Bosso treasurer
Lovemore Dube
HIGHLANDERS might have been prejudiced of $37 000 from gate-takings by its treasurer Odiel Nkomo who is now under investigations for allegedly defrauding the club from match day earnings.
The under fire treasurer has been asked by Grant Thornton Auditors to explain discrepancies between what he recorded as Highlanders earnings which seem to differ with figures obtained from the Premier Soccer League.
Anti-virus benefits from collaborations
Entertainment Reporter
PROMINENT hip-hop dance group Anti-virus are looking to collaborate with other dance crews while incorporating more traditional dance elements in their act in a bid to lure more fans and gain more recognition within the arts industry.